Card case

ABSTRACT

A case for carrying popular credit cards and the like provided with means for retaining the lid in an open position if a card is missing from the case. The case has a top portion and a bottom portion which form a case that may be opened and closed. At least one receiving means for holding a card within the case is movably mounted between a fully retracted position and an extended position with respect to the case. Biasing means is disposed in the case to cause the receiving means to move to an extended position so that a portion of the receiving means projects outside of the card case when the case is open and the card is removed therefrom. In an embodiment of the invention, the card carrying assembly includes a projecting means movably mounted in a case between a fully retracted position and an extended position. The projecting means is biased outwardly so that when the case is opened and a card is removed, the projecting means will extend outwardly with respect to the case and prevent the case from being closed. The projecting means in this embodiment is actuatable to the fully retracted position by the card when the card is returned to the case, thereby allowing the case to be closed. Various other more specific embodiments are disclosed hereinbelow.

United States Patent Newell 1 51 Sept. 5, 1972 CARD CASE [72] Inventor: Strohm Newell, 2256 Albatross St.,

San Diego, Calif. 92101 [22] Filed: April 15, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 28,693

152 US. Cl ..206/39 511 161. c1 A45c 11/18 [58] Field 61 Search.l50/39', 206/39, 45.13, DIG. 32, 206/45.16, DIG. 26, 74, 40.5, 1310. 6;

[56] 116161611668 Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,291,178 12/1966 1311111 .i...150/39 2,808,148 10/1957 Kemey ..206/45.13 x 3,244,211 4/1966 Byers et a1 ..l50l39 2,262,318 11/1941 Fox ..206/DIG. 6

Primary ExaminerGeorge E. Lowrance Assistant Examiner-Stephan P. Garbe Att0rneyMarkva & Smith 8 ABSTRACT A case for carrying popular credit cards and the like provided with means for retaining the lid in an open position if a card is missing from the case. The case has a top portion and a bottom portion which form a case that may be opened and closed. At least one receiving means for holding a card within the case is movably mounted between a fully retracted position and an extended position with respect to the case. Biasing means is disposed in the case to cause the receiving means to move to an extended position so that a portion of the receiving means projects outside of the card case when the case is open and the card is removed therefrom. In an embodiment of the invention, the card carrying assembly includes a projecting means movably mounted in a case between a fully retracted position and an extended position. The projecting means is biased outwardly so that when thecase is opened and a card is removed, the projecting means will extend outwardly with respect to the case and prevent the case from being closed. The projecting means in this embodiment is actuatable to the fully retracted position by the card when the card is returned to the case, thereby allowing the case -to be closed. Various other more specific embodiments are disclosed hereinbelow.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 5 m2 SHEET 1 0F 2 STROHM NEWELL INVENTOR.

FIG. 5

FIGS

FIG. 7 STROHM NEWELL INVENTOR.

CARD CASE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Until a lost or stolen charge or credit card is invalidated its rightful owner may suffer substantial losses from its unauthorized use. Since such cards have high black market value a practical means to help prevent dispossession is very desirable. It is customary to hand cards to merchants to record purchases. In so doing, cards are often removed from cases for use on recording devices. Thereafter, through trick or neglect, cards are sometimes not returned to the owner. Until my invention there has been no easy and simple device for calling ones attention to the fact that a card is missing from its case.

SUMMARY My novel credit card case permits its lid to be closed only when all the cards are in the case. The open lid reminds the owner to return the missing card to the case. The card itself is a necessary structural link for manually removing an obstruction in the path of the closing lid. Encased but movable card receptacles function as impediments to closing the case lid in one embodiment of my invention. If a card is absent from its receptacle, there is no bearing member to forceably remove a bar to the lids closing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description an appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the novel case showing the position of components when a card is missing.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof with a large section of the top portion not included showing the position of components when all the cards are present inside a closed case.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the closed base depicted in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the device with the lid wide open showing the location of one of the components including a card removed from the novel case, and

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the device showing the lid being obstructed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS More specifically, as shown in the drawings, a card carrying case generally designated includes a top portion or lid 6 and a bottom portion 8. The case is rectangular in shape in this embodiment and is sufficiently large for the cards 4 to fit loosely therein. As shown, the top portion or lid 6 is hingedly connected to the bottom portion 8 so that the case 20 may be opened and closed. The case 20 has an open configuration at one end thereof. In these specific embodiments, the components 2 and 5 constitute at least one receiving means for holding a card within the case. That is, the

top component 5 of the various components present in the case 20 is representative of at least one receiving means for holding a'card within the case.

More particularly, the component 5 is representative of at least one receiving means in which a card 4 is present and has been depressed to its fully retracted position inside the case 20. Each of the receiving means 5 and 2, the component 5 being representative of all of the other components which have card 4 located therein and deposited within the case, are movably mounted between a fully retracted position and an extended position with respect to the case.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the component 5 is in the fully retracted position while the component or receiving means 2 is in an extended position. The card 4 has been removed from the receiving means or component 2 as depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. As seen, the components 5 and 2, which are representative of all the receiving means in the case 20, include recesses 5a and 2a, respectively. In addition, when the receiving means 2 as shown in FIG. 1 is in an extended position, a projecting means or portion 2b protrudes when the lid or top portion 6 is opened.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the projecting means 5b is shown to be in an extended position along with all the other components or receiving means included in the case 20. When the components or receiving means 5 are in an extended position as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cards 4 are removed from the case 20.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and '7, the top portion 6 as shown in this specific embodiment,.has a section 6a which is turned toward the bottom portion 8 at right angles to its covering surface. The section 6a serves to both cover the open end of the case 20 and to provide an important contact at the contacting point 7 between the lid 6 and the projecting means or extended portion of the receiving means2b and 5b as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, respectively.

The lid or top portion 6 is hingedly connected to the bottom portion 8 at points 11 and 16 in this specific embodiment. A coil or spiral spring (not illustrated) may be provided to tend to keep the lid 6 in an open position. An open position of the lid 6 will help draw the desired attention to the fact that a card 4 is missing from the case 20. The top portion 6 and bottom portion 8 are preferably made of some type of hard plastic material.

The top portion 6 includes a recessed end section 1 and the bottom portion 8 includes a recessed end section 13 as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6. The recessed end sections 1 and I3 constitute an open structural configu ration which allows card filled components 5 to be held in their fully retracted position until the case 20 is closed. The recesses 5a and 2a of the receiving means constitute an open structural configuration registered with the open structural configuration of the case 20 so that if a card is of placed therein, a portion of the receiving means projects from the case 20 to prevent it from being closed.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, at least one receiving means or card retainer 5 is shown in a fully retracted position. The numbered retainer means 5 is representative of all of the retainers which are in a fully retracted position within the case 20. The card 4 as shown is in the receiving means 5 which is in a fully retracted position. The receiving means 2 has the card removed therefrom. That is, it is empty, and its operation is discussed hereinbelow.

The receiving means and 2 are movably mounted .in the case 20 and are used for individual cards. These receiving means or receptacles 5 and 2 are slightly larger than a card 4. Cards 4 may be easily slid in and out of a pocket portion which includes a base or card abutting means 12. In other words, the receiving means which are movably mounted within the case 20 have a structural configuration whereby the receiving means can only be returned to the fully retracted position when a card is disposed therein, allowing the case to be closed. That is, if a card 4 is not located in the receiving means, a portion of the receiving means will remain in an extended position such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 due to the respective recesses 2a and 5a which extend in a direction toward the card abutting means 12. Again, each receiving means which is mounted in the case 20 has a structural configuration whereby it can only be returned to the fully retracted position when a card 4 is disposed therein.,The card 4 is used to push against the abutting means 12 to place the receiving means into the fully retracted position thereby allowing the case 20 to be closed. I prefer to make these card receptacles or receiving means of Mylar which is a tough, resilient, transparent plastic material. Outside the card envelope or pocket portion area of the receiving means 5, I have provided two parallel slots 15 which are located in a slidably connecting portion at the end opposite the pocket portion of the receiving means 5. The slots 15 extend through the surface of the receiving means and longitudinally with respect thereto thereby defining the direction and extent of movement of the pocket portion or'receiving means between the fully retracted position and an extended position. The slidably connecting portion of the receiving means includes dual studs or posts which are secured to the bottom portion 8 and disposed in a respective slot 15. It is deemed obvious that the studs or posts 14 may be constructed of any material normally used in such construction. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the studs 14 extend into the structure of the bottom portion 8 and are secured therein by any well known means. The studs or posts 14 serve as guides and stops for the receptacles or receiving means 5 as they move in the direction of arrows provided in FIGS. 1 and 6. arrows Biasing means or suitable spring means 10 used in conjunction with the receiving means 5, keeps tension on the receptacles 5. The biasing means or spring means 10 tends to cause the receptacles 5 to protrude from the case 20 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. I have used a 0.16 inch piano wire to construct the spring means 10 which is looped between the studs 14 and the central stops 9 which are-located in each of the receptacles 5. As clearly seen in the drawings, each receiving means or receptacle 5 is independent of each other and therefore a separate biasing means is obviously required to effectuate movement thereof out of the case 20. It is obviously necessary to have such, a spring means 10 associated with each receiving means 5 in order that a biasing force will be acting on the receiving means 5 when it is desired to return same to a fully retracted position. Various other arrangements of a biasing means acting on each of the receptacles 5 used for holding cards 4 may be disposed in the case 20 to cause the respective receiving means to move to an extended position so that a portion of the receiving means projects outside of the case 20 when it is open. The spring 10 is anchored in position on each receiving means by the central stops 9 and loops over each of the studs 14. The force within the spring 10 tends to push the receiving means 5 outside of thecase 20. FIG. 4 shows the receiving means 5 in a fully retracted position and FIG. 6 shows the receiving means 5 in a fully extended position. The spring 10 maintains a tension force against which the receiving means is pushed when the card 4 is inserted into the pocket portion thereof and pushed against the abutting means 12 to return the receiving means 5 to a fully retracted position.

In use, a person closes the case 20 by finger or thumb pressure in the direction of the arrow in FIG. I. If a card is missing, the thumb moves into an opening or recess 1 and 13 of the respective top and bottom portions as well as recess 2a of the; representative receptacle 2 which therefore remains extended since nothing pushes it into the case 20. The lid 6 will then contact the receptacle 2 at the projecting portion 2b and not close, as can best be seen in FIG. 3.

On the other hand, if all cards 4 are present they will serve as a bearing surface between the thumb 3 and all receptacles, permitting the receptacles to be entirely pushed within the case flush with the similarly recessed end 13 of case 8. In this instance the lid or top portion 6 will completely close. The lid or top portion 6 may be held in the closed position by a friction action with the base of the case or other suitable fastener.

It is to be understood that a person skilled in the art may make obvious changes in the described structure which will fall within the scope of the invention and the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A card carrying assembly comprising:

a. a case that may be opened and closed,

b. at least one receiving means for holding a card within the case,

c. said receiving means being movably mounted between a fully retracted position and an extended position with respect to the case,

. said receiving means including a pocket portion at one end thereof to contain a card and a slidably connecting portion at the other end thereof,

e. said connecting portion including at least one post member fixedly attached to the case and being disposed in a slot in the receiving means which slot 1 defines the direction and extent of movement of the pocket portion between the fully retracted position and an extended position, and

f. biasing means disposed in the case to cause the pocket portion to move to an extended position so that a portion of the pocket projects outwardly from one side, of the case when the case is open.

2. A card carrying assembly comprising:

a. a case that may be opened and closed,

b. a plurality of pocket portions movably mounted between a fully retracted position and an extended position with respect to the case for holding a plurality of cards within the case,

c. each pocket portion being movable with respect to each other,

d. biasing means disposed in the case to cause the pocket portions to move to an extended position so that a section of the pocket portion projects outwardly from one side of the case when the case is open,

e. each pocket portion having a structural configuration to receive a card at one end thereof, and

f. card abutting means located at the other end of the pocket portion against which a card is pushed to place the pocket portion in the fully retracted position allowing the case to be closed,

g. said pocket portion including a recess located on the projecting section thereof and extending in a direction toward the card abutting means, and

h. said case having a recess disposed at the same location of the pocket recess.

3. A card carrying assembly comprising:

a. a case that may be opened and closed,

b. a plurality of receiving means for holding a card within the case,

0. each receiving means being movably mounted with respect to each other and each being movable between a fully retracted position and an extended position with respect to the case,

d. biasing means disposed in the case to cause each receiving means to move to an extended position so that a portion of the receiving means projects outwardly from one side of the case when the case is open,

e. a first open structural configuration being located on the side of the case from which the receiving means projects, and

f. a second open configuration being located on the projecting portion of the receiving means,

g. said first open configuration being registered with said second open configuration whereby when at least one but not all said receiving means contains a card, the projecting portion of the receiving means not containing a card will remain in an extended position when only two external forces are applied assembly, one of said forces being applied to the cards disposed in the other receiving means the other of said forces being applied to the exterior of said case. An assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring means which acts on each receiving means.

5. An assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein the case includes atop portion and a bottom portion,

the top portion is hingedly connected to the bottom portion, and

the case is constructed of a rigid material.

6. An assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said receiving means includes a pocket portion being open at one end thereof and a card abutting means located at the other end thereof against which abutting means a card is pushed to move the receiving means to the fully retracted position. 

1. A card carrying assembly comprising: a. a case that may be opened and closed, b. at least one receiving means for holding a card within the case, c. said receiving means being movably mounted between a fully retracted position and an extended position with respect to the case, d. said receiving means including a pocket portion at one end thereof to contain a card and a slidably connecting portion at the other end thereof, e. said connecting portion including at least one post member fixedly attached to the case and being disposed in a slot in the receiving means which slot defines the direction and extent of movement of the pocket portion between the fully retracted position and an extended position, and f. biasing means disposed in the case to cause the pocket portion to move to an extended position so that a portion of the pocket projects outwardly from one side of the case when the case is open.
 2. A card carrying assembly comprising: a. a case that may be opened and closed, b. a plurality of pocket portions movably mounted between a fully retracted position and an extended position with respect to the case for holding a plurality of cards within the case, c. each pocket portion being movable with respect to each other, d. biasing means disposed in the case to cause the pocket portions to move to an extended position so that a section of the pocket portion projects outwardly from one side of the case when the case is open, e. each pocket portion having a structural configuration to receive a card at one end thereof, and f. card abutting means located at the other end of the pocket portion against which a card is pushed to place the pocket portion in the fully retracted position allowing the case to be closed, g. said pocket portion including a recess located on the projecting section thereof and extending in a direction toward the card abutting means, and h. said case having a recess disposed at the same location of the pocket recess.
 3. A card carrying assembly comprising: a. a case that may be opened and closed, b. a plurality of receiving means for holding a card within the case, c. each receiving means being movably mounted with respect to each other and each being movable between a fully retracted position and an extended position with respect to the case, d. biasing means disposed in the case to cause each receiving means to move to an extended position so that a portion of The receiving means projects outwardly from one side of the case when the case is open, e. a first open structural configuration being located on the side of the case from which the receiving means projects, and f. a second open configuration being located on the projecting portion of the receiving means, g. said first open configuration being registered with said second open configuration whereby when at least one but not all said receiving means contains a card, the projecting portion of the receiving means not containing a card will remain in an extended position when only two external forces are applied assembly, one of said forces being applied to the cards disposed in the other receiving means , the other of said forces being applied to the exterior of said case. An assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring means which acts on each receiving means.
 5. An assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein the case includes a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion is hingedly connected to the bottom portion, and the case is constructed of a rigid material.
 6. An assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said receiving means includes a pocket portion being open at one end thereof and a card abutting means located at the other end thereof against which abutting means a card is pushed to move the receiving means to the fully retracted position. 